Loudoun’s Baseball Story Continues with the Hounds FanFest!

On April 14, 1908, Nick Carter, a five-foot-eight, 140 pound, 28 year old, right-handed pitcher stepped to the mound to make his major league debut for the Philadelphia Athetics. The game pitted the A’s against the New York Yankees in their immense Hilltop Park in the Washington Heights neighborhood in New York City. Unfortunately, the Athletics lost the game. Carter’s career would last just 14 games, and he’d finish with a 2-5 record, with 5 starts and 2 complete games and an earned run average of 2.97. Carter was from Oatlands in Loudoun County, just south of Leesburg. Today, his home is a historic site open for tours, and part of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. And even though this Loudouner’s baseball playing days were short, Loudoun’s baseball story continues with the Loudoun Hounds.

This new team, part of the independent Atlantic League, will play in a new stadium in Sterling in 2012. On February 13, the Hounds will hold their inaugural FanFest at Stone Bridge High School in Ashburn. There’s a full line up of special events planned, from appearances by Hall of Famers, live music with the local favorites A+ Dropouts, autograph sessions, demonstrations and exhibitions, fun and games for young Hounds, free samples, giveaways, caricatures, a dramatic unveiling of the Hounds mascot, and more. Players schedule to appear include Frank “Hondo” Howard, Bobby Richardson and Boog Powell and their combined 755 home runs, 16 All Star Games, 12 World Series appearances with 6 Championships, as well as former pros Tommy John, Cecil Fielder, Chris Hoiles, Otis Nixon, Mike Colangelo, Ellie Rodriguez and Pete Sierra.

So come on out to the Loudoun Hounds’ FanFest! It’ll be a home run! For more information on the Hounds, click here.